From trusted friend to trusted brand? Influencer marketing between trust and mistrust

Abstract

Dude Perfect, Julien Bam and Bibis Beauty Palace—they all reach millions of young people, are idolized by teenagers and not understood by most adults. But they are more than teen idols: They turn market mechanisms upside down and change media communications profoundly with their ability to combine entertaining, authentic content with trustworthiness. But how does trust in Influencer build up and what is needed to keep it the long term? How can Influencer Marketing be embellished responsibly for young audiences? This article discusses opportunities and risks concerning gain and loss of trust in Content Creators especially on YouTube and asks for solution approaches regarding ethical standards of a whole new industry. It explains the specific relationship between influencers and their followers and shows some important factors in order to gain the most from this marketing approach: a transfer of credibility and trust.